Libram of Hath's Stand
The Libram of Hath's Stand is a collection of writings and teachings written by the Order of Hath's Stand. Compiled by Abbot Darrell Roth after the Fall of Hath's Stand, the texts were made to serve the new generations protectors of Hath's Stand, vowed to return the holy grounds to the people of Talongrab, and to the Holy Light. The texts teachings are based heavily upon traditional scripture of the Church of the Holy Light, and the Order of the Silver Hand; as they serve to set the foundations of higher learning among the holy men of Alterac. ---- =Preface= ---- Hath was not known to be a holy man. He was a General, and a great one at that. His military prowess was admired even by his Stromic rival Trollbane. And while he was not a holy man, he was a man of honor. Having helped the Alliance of Lordaeron beat back the Horde in the Alterac Mountains after Aiden Perenolde’s treachery, he placed humanity as a whole before his own Kingdom to ensure we could live in a better world. For that, he deserves honor. It was by that notion that Hath’s Stand was founded. Among us, Knights of the Silver Hand, and people of the cloth stood to honor the fallen of the Second War under the name of one of its greatest warriors. But not only was it a place to preserve the name of the fallen, it served as one respite in the Alterac Mountains for those who wished to find the Light’s call, and further its call through faith and fury. A beacon of hope for the future. But as I write this, the good legacy of Hath’s Stand is in danger. The cemetery lay in ruins, and danger always lurks within the depths of the Winterwood. As the last original Knight of Hath’s Stand, this book is a plea to the future pioneers of Alterac to preserve this good legacy, and spread the Light’s wisdom in the name of honor for those who would have it. This book is for those who would answer the call. =Background= ---- Erected as a landmark in the fallen Kingdom of Alterac as the Kings of foreign lands bickered over who should be its next ruler, Hath’s Stand served as a memorial to the fallen of the Second War — and those who remained loyal to the Alliance of Lordaeron in combat against the savage Hordes that sought to take away our very way of life. The Order of Hath’s Stand was founded as preservers. We began simple. Priestly tenders who kept the grounds fair, buried the bodies of fallen soldiers to settle them in a place of honor. But, we stood to maintain a legacy of honor that had been lost by the Alteraci aristocracy. The priests would venture out far and wide upon news of the death of a fallen soldier to bring them back to a place of honor, a rightful place for them to rest — quite like these Spirit Healers they tell tales about. In their ventures, they attracted the attention of the Knights of the Silver Hand, the ones I learned from later on. I, along with those Knights who came to Alterac became defenders of the Stand, and the Light’s Will. From there, it was like a dream. The men and women of Hath’s Stand became a beacon of hope for the remnant factions in the area. Orcs, and the other creatures of Alterac were no match for the Light’s will. We brought hope to the honest and good of Alterac in our prime. And great warriors were brought to the Stand as their final resting place, soldiers of Alterac from so many years ago. But, it wasn’t to last. When the Scourge destroyed Lordaeron, the rest of the Northlands fell to turmoil. Some fled to us, others died on the venture through the Winterwood. But we fought against some of the Scourge to dire effect for ourselves as we tried to bring people into the Stand. And while we had won the battle, our numbers had dwindled. It was from that point, we kept to our home in Alterac. Hath’s Stand became our own little community. And through the Age of Chaos, we were fairly content. Slowly our older men died, some ventured out to become adventurers and others met more unfortunate fates. We continued to fight in the name of the Light in small parties to keep the Horde, and the Syndicate at bay — and light-fearing. But as the years went by, our message began to die. With little means to venture out, the Order of Hath’s Stand had nearly met its end. That was until the Knights of a new Alterac, the Citrine Eagle, came to pick up the pieces. The rest is a story to be made. =Words of the Old Guard= ---- The Words of the Old Guard are a compilation of texts penned and distributed by the Order of Hath's Stand upon its founding after the fall of the Kingdom of Alterac after the Second War. It consists of sensationalized tales of past legend to serve as examples for future generations of holy men to live by, and recounts the core lessons founded by the original holy church. On Mereldar's Revelation Mereldar, Sister to the great General Lordain was visited by five brilliant figures. Each one represented a singular aspect of the Light's benevolent march. First came Protection, the bulwark of the innocent. Then came Retribution, righteous vengeance to right the wrongs of the world. After came Justice, for Retribution must always beget Justice. And stood as balance between the great beings. Beside Justice stood Compassion. Good will towards all with a generous hand. Finally, came Holiness. Spreading the Light's good word for all. And so with these visions, Mereldar spread their benevolent message to her people and founded true faith. And so it was good. And it was by these calling tenets that the first church formed five great librams. Protection Mereldar awoke from her vision, the knowledge burning it's way into her mind. Five figures they had been, and five tenants they had given her. And yet, she did not understand. She cried out to them. "Please, Benevolent, help me to understand!" For nearly a month she rose and slept, hoping and praying for a vision to come to her. Praying for answers that never came. In her frustration, she fled her home to the countryside, unwilling to wait any longer to help her people. On her journey, she came across a scene of violence. A family sat on a carriage, frightened and beset by three vicious Troll savages. Mereldar hid herself in a bush, wishing for strength and courage that did not seem to come. If she simply hid and waited, the Trolls would be gone. But the family would perish as well. To Mereldar, this prospect was simply unacceptable. She rose from the brush, and approached the Trolls, who turned and laughed at what they saw. A small scrawny woman, who seemed to be shaking with fear. They stood and waited, whooping and jeering. When Mereldar got close, she extended a hand, and prayed for strength. A blinding Light emanated from her fingers, causing all to turn away. When Mereldar's vision returned, she stood before the body of one of the Trolls. The other two turned and fled, screaming in fear. Mereldar looked to her hand, that vicious Light having diminished now into a gentle, humming spark. A word formed in her head. "Protection." She looked to the family, and gave a nod of confidence. "Now you are safe. Give thanks to the Light." They bowed their heads in thanks. Retribution Justice Compassion Holiness "Oh Benevolence! How shall all know of such radiance. Why have I been blessed so?" Mereldar called into the darkness of night as she slept. Each night as the figures came and went, and the divine was shown to her. Enraptured, she was left with little after her foray with the figures. Compassion most of all left her wondering, but not begging for this next answer. But she knew she could not rely upon these beings for these answers. She needed patience, understanding. And so it arrived in the dead of night. But this was much simpler than the rest. It was the smallest spark. Each night as she woke up from her dreams, the faintest glimmer of Light appeared to her. So small it was, and yet, so radiant it was within the dark chambers. As the moments passed, the glimmer sparked up. And as it did so, the Light's radiance illuminated the darkened room with its flash. And so came clarity. And so, the nights continued, as did the smallest spark that spread the Light's radiance upon Mereldar's chamber each night. "So too as the Light's embrace spreads from a small spark, you must be the spark to Light these darkened nights; young Mereldar." And so Mereldar became the spark to spread the Light and its divine message to the good people. And the Light was found by those who took to her spark as divine. And so it was. The Silver Hand Centuries went On Alterac's Fall The Orcish Horde arrived on blackest night; vowed to topple a mountains might. Brave men stood and held the passes; sworn by blood to protect the masses. But as they stood and waited; they found their honor and glory abated. Without the Light on this darkest night, King Perenolde allowed an Orcish blight; to pass through and avoid a Mountain's Might. Betrayer of the Alliance, King Perenolde was; and brokered with the damn to save his people, but little did he know he had damned their fate! A defiant King stood against his own race, and the Alliance marched upon his passes, seeking justice. Great King Thoras! He marched upon the passes; to find General Hath, plotting with the masses; to save Alteraci might! Great King and General conversed; "Survival of the race is more important than that of any one kingdom. And if we do not have our honor, we have nothing at all," said the great General. And so, by his word, humankind triumphed; against Orcish Hordes. Honor restored, yet Alterac still fell; and where has Hath gone? Only time shall tell. On Consecration Hath's Stand is by all means sacred. Buried beneath its hallowed grounds lay the fallen soldiers of Alterac; those who died in the Second War. Paladins, priests; and good wholesome men who stood against a coming darkness to ensure there could be a future for humanity. And upon this sacred ground, honor has been maintained. And so, it was good. Yet time is a much more deadly foe than any Orcish Hordes. And so men will die. Veterans of an old age - a great age. And thus it is the duty of the guardians of the Stand to return these fallen to their rightful seat among the other legends who fought beside Hath in the great war. To keep their bodies and their souls from defilement - and to guide their spirits towards paradise. And so it shall be, and it shall be so long as these grounds remain pure and unmolested by the vile darkness. And that day come where these holy grounds are beset by evils - these evils shall be undone to final man and final breath; for even the smallest spark may light the darkness. On Honor Act with honor, and walk the Light's path. As Hath stood for honor, so too does Hath's Stand represent that honor and its preservation. To protect the honor of the fallen. To preserve the honorable legacy of General Hath. And to spread this shining example to those who are without guidance. It is by the way of the men of the Stand that we fight for the meek, the innocent, and the well-to-do people. To maintain honor in all ways is the way of the Light. Be it upon the battlefield, or at home. And as we preserve this honor, let us remember the deeds of the fallen of war's past to return them to their rightful place, and rightful home in Alterac among the Stand. Preenings and Practices =On Chivalry= Chivalry is the way of not only the Knight, but the Holy Man. It's a code of good conduct. A knight must treat themselves, and those they come into contact with, with courtesy and honor. Chivalry is a Knight having the courage to step up to defend the weak. It's a set of limitations which the strong and mighty place upon themselves with the realization that setting a good example sends a message which is far more powerful than any words on paper. It demonstrates how a Knight, a beacon of hope, should act. Chivalry is a choice. A choice to act righteously, for the right reasons, in the right moment. Thou shalt remain ever faithful, and adhere to the teachings and guidance of the Holy Light. Keeping one’s faith strong, and unquestionable offers a Knight the motivation needed to guide them to act on good faith, and to only serve to protect the weak and innocent. Thou shalt remain humble. Humility is knowing that you are better than no one, and no one is better than you under the guiding graces of the Holy Light. Acting in good faith is better than asserting you have been granted a title to act in good faith. Thou shalt respect the Law. Law is the binding that keeps mortal beings civil, and acts as a means to protect those who cannot protect themselves. Respecting the law not only keeps others safe, but makes the Knights charge simpler; so long as the law is just. Thou shalt maintain valor. Even in the face of adversity, a Knight must never back down or present fear against what might be considered insurmountable odds, or a perilous enemy. A Knight should not recoil against their foe, even in the face of defeat. As a bastion of hope for the common man, a Knight’s valor is paramount to his ability to protect others. Thou shalt be generous to those less fortunate. While assured their actions are indeed compassionate, charity and generosity are key aspects of the benevolent Holy Light. As the Light provides for its supplicants, so shall the Knight unto those truly in need. Thou shalt speak honestly. Lies sow the seeds of deceit and turmoil which blossom into chaos, and plunge great societies into darkness. Honesty is key in the Knights charge, as it maintains trust between a Knight, the people, and the Holy Light the Knight serves. Thou shalt offer the utmost courtesy to others. In tandem with the virtue of respect, offering courtesy to others is critical in presenting oneself as a fair example of a member of the Silver Hand. Thou shalt act in decorum. Along with being courteous to others, acting in good taste is critical to the presentation of a Knight of the Light. This means refraining from actions that can be considered unbecoming in a public setting. This includes, but is not limited to the following: *Inciting a brawl in public. No Knight may be permitted to invoke a public brawl unless bearing the purpose of protecting the weak and innocent. *Encouraging words that incite lawless action. As a peacekeeper in the Light’s name, a Knight shall not encourage or use any words that may provoke an illicit action. *Engage in acts of public indecency. Public indecency, or any sexually explicit actions in public are prohibited. An individual of good faith shall also not wear garments that do not hide their form in a modest fashion. *Public intoxication. Any state of drunkenness, or drug induced intoxication under the scope of the public eye is forbidden. *Lacking of integrity. A man or woman of good faith does not submit to bribery, blackmail, or threats when faced with them. Thou shalt always champion the forces of the Light and Good against Darkness and Chaos. All warriors of the Light must stand with conviction against the forces that would do away with the Light, and attempt to bathe this universe in darkness. Ceremony =Words of the New Guard= ---- On Virtue On Heroes Mereldar The sister to the great General Lordain, whose namesake was used in the naming of Lordaeron. Mereldar is of the first humans to encounter the Light and its major tenets in a vision and revelation in the early days of Lordaeron. Mereldar is credited with bringing others together to interpret these visions of a divine power, and aided in the creation of the modern Church of the Holy Light. ---- Alonsus Faol Alonsus Faol was the Archbishop of the Holy Church during the Second War. After witnessing the terrible devastation the Light had on the Orcs, his Holiness began training noble knights and clerics in order to create the first Knights of the Silver Hand, and helped found the Order. After his death, as an undead, he has befriended Calia Menethil, and aided the heroes of Azeroth in undoing the threat of the Burning Legion. Uther the Lightbringer Uther Lightbringer was the first Knight of the Silver Hand trained under Alonsus Faol. Originally destined to be a Cleric trained by the Archbishop, the Light guided him onwards to lead the Silver Hand and later train Arthas Menethil in Knightly practices. He was later killed by Arthas when defending the urn of the slain King Terenas Menethil. He is regarded as one of the greatest Knights, and the only worthy of the title Grand Master. Turalyon Once placing great doubt in the Holy Light, Turalyon found his conviction in the Light in the battle for Blackrock Mountain after the death of Anduin Lothar, the Lion of Azeroth. He led the first charge into the Outlands and went missing sometime later after the planet was shattered. Many years later, Turalyon led the Army of the Light into battle against the Burning Legion. Successful in his endeavors, he once again fights beside the Alliance. Gavinrad the Dire Gavinrad had first accompanied Anduin Lothar to the North after the exodus in the First War. For his pious nature and faith in the Light it was requested that he be trained as one of the first Knights of the Silver Hand. He was the Knight to give Arthas Menethil his hammer, and also lead the Champions of Peace in Lordaeron, who guarded the remains of Kel’thuzad. He died, and was consumed by Frostmourne. Saidan Dathrohan Originally a Knight of Lordaeron, Saidan Dathrohan became one of the first Knights of the Silver Hand after studying under Archbishop Alonsus Faol. Having witnessed the destruction of Lordaeron by the Scourge, Dathrohan led a charge into Stratholme and later founded and lead a new Order, the Scarlet Crusade. Before the formation of the Crusade however, he was possessed by the Dreadlord Balnazzar and later slain by adventurers. Tirion Fordring Tirion Fordring was the only original Knight to be excommunicated from the Order by Uther himself for siding with an orc named Eitrigg to maintain his honor and promise to him when Eitrigg’s life was in danger. He held onto the Light within himself, and long after was the herald of the charge against the Lich King in Northrend after merging the Argent Dawn, and the Order of the Silver Hand. Having begun to reclaim lands in Lordaeron, he was killed in the battle of the Broken Shore. Alexandros Mograine The first Ashbringer, and the Scourge of the Scourge, Alexandros Mograine was famed for his discovery of the dark crystal that was used to forge the Ashbringer. He was later slain through the betrayal of his own son Renault after being baited into fighting a slew of undead within Stratholme. On Deities Tyr Naaru Eyir Odyn ---- References Category:Documents Category:The Citrine Eagle Category:Books